I move amendment No. 58: In page 14, lines 34 and 35, to delete "(whether contained in guidelines, codes or other documents, or any combination of them)".

I move amendment No. 59: In page 14, lines 34 and 35, to delete "(whether contained in guidelines, codes or other documents, or any combination of them)" and substitute "(which are provided for by legislation or statutory instrument)".

I move amendment No. 60: In page 15, line 1, to delete "or a Minister of the Government".

I move amendment No. 62: In page 15, line 20, to delete "the chairperson and".

I move amendment No. 63: In page 15, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: "(3) Not less than six ordinary members of the Board shall be active researchers and innovators, from a broad range of disciplines.".

I move amendment No. 64: In page 15, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: "(4) In making appointments to the Board under subsection (2) , the Minister shall ensure that there is a diversity of disciplinary experience and expertise on the Board and that there are persons appointed with expertise and experience in both the arts, humanities and social sciences and in science, engineering, mathematics and technology.".

I move amendment No. 65: In page 15, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(4) In making appointments to the Board under subsection (2), the Minister shall ensure that persons from groups which are underrepresented in research and innovation are represented on the Board.”.

I move amendment No. 66: In page 15, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(4 One member to be appointed to the Board under subsection (2) shall be a worker representative of researchers and shall be nominated for appointment by a researchers’representative group.”.

I move amendment No. 67: In page 15, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(4) One member to be appointed to the Board under subsection (2) shall have experience and expertise in workers’ rights in the sector and shall be nominated for appointment by the Irish Federation of University Teachers.”.

I move amendment No. 68: In page 15, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: “(5) The Minister shall nominate a suitably qualified person for appointment as chairperson and such a nomination shall require approval by resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas.”.

I move amendment No. 69: In page 16, line 15, after “Board” to insert “, excluding the chairperson,”.

I move amendment No. 70: In page 21, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: "(iii) the Irish Congress of Trade Unions,". In the Bill, there is an anomaly in the corporate plan of the agency. The Bill sets out that the corporate plan shall include the objectives, outputs and other strategies, and that, in preparing it, the agency consults with a number of key actors. On the key actors who are mentioned here, I believe there is a slight concern that the Bill may skew the shaping of that corporate plan in te…

I will come back on the question of who the agency consults and the corporate plan. I will probably bring further amendments to that section on Report Stage. I urge that the Department consider or review this because the logic does not stand up. In emphasising the word "innovation", it is as if it is against innovation to mention there are other things besides the corporate or private sector. Innovation has often been public innovation. Public funding drove much of the innovation in respect of vaccines and led to t…

I have indicated my intention to discuss this further on Report Stage. I note the difference between "shall" and "may". It is "shall" in respect of Enterprise Ireland and the IDA. I have not sought to remove those, though that is an option that could be considered. I am not objecting to consultation with those agencies but if there was consultation with them and not others, then we have an imbalance that is inappropriate. We will try to address that on Report Stage.

I move amendment No. 71: In page 21, between lines 10 and 10, to insert the following: “(iii) the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science,”.

I move amendment No. 72: In page 22, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: “(4) In preparing the annual plan, the Agency shall consult with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.”.

I move amendment No. 73: In page 22, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(8) A direction given under subsection (5) shall be laid before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and shall require the approval of that Joint Oireachtas Committee.”.

I may bring an amendment on transparency in respect of gifts. This is the section whereby gifts may be given to the agency, and that is fine. The agency has to get the Minister's consent to accept a gift but I may also look for transparency and a public record of any such gifts.

I move amendment No. 74: In page 24, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “(4) A person designated as the first Chief Executive Officer under subsection (3) shall hold office for a period not exceeding 30 months.”. This amendment seeks to amend section 28 by requiring that the person designated as the first chief executive officer under subsection (3) should hold office for a period not exceeding 30 months. Currently, the Minister has the power to unilaterally appoint the first CEO before the establish…

I move amendment No. 75: In page 26, to delete lines 39 to 42.